ABOUT VALERIE

How long have you been with the Sacramento SPCA Board?
I joined the board in March 2021.

Where do you live?
My husband and I live in Folsom.

Tell us a little about your day, what do you do, what have you done?
In January 2021, I retired as Chief Information Officer from VSP. I spent my entire career in several roles in Information Technology, and I worked at VSP for more than 30 years. Prior to VSP, I worked in Information Technology in Canada and Australia.

Are you currently participating in any other organizations or associations? 
Since I’ve retired, I have become a volunteer baker for Cakes4kids, an organization that makes birthday cakes for underserved children. I also plan to volunteer at the SSPCA shelter starting this summer.  

Any past affiliations you would like to share? 
Previously, I was a board member for Junior Achievement of Sacramento for more than 10 years. Junior Achievement provides real world business and financial education to K-12 students.

What unique talents and skills do you bring to the SSPCA board?
I understand software and other technology. I have experience in project management, organizational and change management, and team building. 

We would love to hear about your family, starting with your pets…
We have two dogs. Ben, is a 5-year-old Boxer/Great Dane mix and Velvet is a 2-year-old pit bull/Boxer mix. Ben came to us as a rescue a little over 2 years ago and Velvet just joined our family this year after being transferred to the Sacramento SPCA from another shelter. My husband Ken is a retired electrical engineer. We have two adult children, one lives and works in Sacramento, the other is going to school in Szeged, Hungary. 

Finally, what excites you about being part of the SSPCA board of directors?
I have a passion for helping animals and I am excited to be part of an organization that makes significant impact on lives of animals in the Sacramento community.  I also love that the SSPCA makes such a difference for the people in the community, by offering service like low cost spay & neuter and paw pantry, enabling families to keep their pets through difficult financial times.